Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 How can one tell the difference? I am obese, about 70 lbs overweight according to the government. How would I even know if I were experiencing ascites? I know the symptoms are a rapid increase in size, or distention. Shortness of breath, feeling full faster when eating, etc. But since my appetite waxes and wanes, and I honestly feel being short of breath is a symptom of being overweight, how would I know? I am not obviously distended or anything, but I just feel " different " . Thanks, ee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Good question - I have no personal experience, but the following may help: From http://hepatitis.about.com/od/complications/a/Ascites.htm What Is Ascites? Ascites (pronounced a-sight-eez) is extra fluid in the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and the organs in the abdominal cavity (such as the liver, spleen, stomach). This space between the tissues is called the peritoneal cavity. One layer of tissue lines the inside of the belly wall and the other layer of tissue lines the outside of the organs. These two layers are actually one continuous layer that sort of wraps around or doubles back on itself, but the important idea is that there is space between these layers which is normally filled with a small amount of fluid (called peritoneal fluid) that helps lubricate the organs as they move around inside your belly. Sometimes, diseases can cause an excess of fluid to accumulate in the peritoneal cavity. This extra fluid causes the condition of ascites. Diagnosis: How Doctors Find Ascites Someone with ascites may have an increase in girth around the belly and this may be enough to determine ascites. It's possible for 20 liters of fluid (think of 10, 2 liter bottles of soda!) to collect in the abdominal cavity, and only one-half liter is necessary to be clinically detectable. Doctors who suspect ascites will look for bulging areas in the abdomen that sound consistently dull when tapped by the fingers. An ultrasound helps clarify the results of physical examination of people with mild or subtle ascites. That explains why I get the tapping routine every six months. HTH Arne UC 1977, PSC 2000 Alive and well in Minnesota From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of shawnee618 How can one tell the difference?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Good question - I have no personal experience, but the following may help: From http://hepatitis.about.com/od/complications/a/Ascites.htm What Is Ascites? Ascites (pronounced a-sight-eez) is extra fluid in the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and the organs in the abdominal cavity (such as the liver, spleen, stomach). This space between the tissues is called the peritoneal cavity. One layer of tissue lines the inside of the belly wall and the other layer of tissue lines the outside of the organs. These two layers are actually one continuous layer that sort of wraps around or doubles back on itself, but the important idea is that there is space between these layers which is normally filled with a small amount of fluid (called peritoneal fluid) that helps lubricate the organs as they move around inside your belly. Sometimes, diseases can cause an excess of fluid to accumulate in the peritoneal cavity. This extra fluid causes the condition of ascites. Diagnosis: How Doctors Find Ascites Someone with ascites may have an increase in girth around the belly and this may be enough to determine ascites. It's possible for 20 liters of fluid (think of 10, 2 liter bottles of soda!) to collect in the abdominal cavity, and only one-half liter is necessary to be clinically detectable. Doctors who suspect ascites will look for bulging areas in the abdomen that sound consistently dull when tapped by the fingers. An ultrasound helps clarify the results of physical examination of people with mild or subtle ascites. That explains why I get the tapping routine every six months. HTH Arne UC 1977, PSC 2000 Alive and well in Minnesota From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of shawnee618 How can one tell the difference?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Good question - I have no personal experience, but the following may help: From http://hepatitis.about.com/od/complications/a/Ascites.htm What Is Ascites? Ascites (pronounced a-sight-eez) is extra fluid in the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and the organs in the abdominal cavity (such as the liver, spleen, stomach). This space between the tissues is called the peritoneal cavity. One layer of tissue lines the inside of the belly wall and the other layer of tissue lines the outside of the organs. These two layers are actually one continuous layer that sort of wraps around or doubles back on itself, but the important idea is that there is space between these layers which is normally filled with a small amount of fluid (called peritoneal fluid) that helps lubricate the organs as they move around inside your belly. Sometimes, diseases can cause an excess of fluid to accumulate in the peritoneal cavity. This extra fluid causes the condition of ascites. Diagnosis: How Doctors Find Ascites Someone with ascites may have an increase in girth around the belly and this may be enough to determine ascites. It's possible for 20 liters of fluid (think of 10, 2 liter bottles of soda!) to collect in the abdominal cavity, and only one-half liter is necessary to be clinically detectable. Doctors who suspect ascites will look for bulging areas in the abdomen that sound consistently dull when tapped by the fingers. An ultrasound helps clarify the results of physical examination of people with mild or subtle ascites. That explains why I get the tapping routine every six months. HTH Arne UC 1977, PSC 2000 Alive and well in Minnesota From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of shawnee618 How can one tell the difference?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 A experienced medical professional can palpate or use percussion (tapping on the abdomen with the hands) to find ascites. If there is enough fluid than a fluid wave can be created and felt. Many doctors now rely on an abdominal ultrasound instead of palpation or percussion. Most lay people (and many medical professionals) are not experienced to do the technique correctly and know what they should feel or hear. I am a small person 5'1 " about 117 lbs and the doc was a bit surprized when she was told that my ultrasound should some acities, but even my transplant docs could not " feel " it. psc 5/07 listed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 A experienced medical professional can palpate or use percussion (tapping on the abdomen with the hands) to find ascites. If there is enough fluid than a fluid wave can be created and felt. Many doctors now rely on an abdominal ultrasound instead of palpation or percussion. Most lay people (and many medical professionals) are not experienced to do the technique correctly and know what they should feel or hear. I am a small person 5'1 " about 117 lbs and the doc was a bit surprized when she was told that my ultrasound should some acities, but even my transplant docs could not " feel " it. psc 5/07 listed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 I had post-operative ascites once and there was no doubt about it. It hurt to stand up, I felt like my stomach was being pulled down. When it got really bad you could touch my stoach and watch it ripple all the way to the other side. They drained it a few times and it went away as I healed but I looked pregnant rippled and even had to hold my stomach up at one point. Don't know if PSC related ascites is different as thus far I have not experienced it. Dawn > > How can one tell the difference? I am obese, about 70 lbs overweight > according to the government. How would I even know if I were > experiencing ascites? I know the symptoms are a rapid increase in > size, or distention. Shortness of breath, feeling full faster when > eating, etc. But since my appetite waxes and wanes, and I honestly > feel being short of breath is a symptom of being overweight, how would > I know? I am not obviously distended or anything, but I just feel > " different " . > > Thanks, > ee > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 I worked in a hospital for years and heard from our Quality department on numerous occasions that the best way to determine fluid retention – ascites – was daily weighing at the same time each day. My Hep also told me to weigh myself everyday at the same time each day. If my weight varied – up or down – by three pounds I was to call him. I was fortunate to have had ascites only once prior to transplant and not at all after transplant. I talked to a fellow transplant patient at clinic one day and he had seven pints of fluid removed more than once prior to surgery. When I had ascites, the doctors did not wave test and were suspicious, but after the Ultrasound showed that I had what was estimated as an additional 8 pounds of fluid. Joe PSC, UC – 1990; Tx=2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 I worked in a hospital for years and heard from our Quality department on numerous occasions that the best way to determine fluid retention – ascites – was daily weighing at the same time each day. My Hep also told me to weigh myself everyday at the same time each day. If my weight varied – up or down – by three pounds I was to call him. I was fortunate to have had ascites only once prior to transplant and not at all after transplant. I talked to a fellow transplant patient at clinic one day and he had seven pints of fluid removed more than once prior to surgery. When I had ascites, the doctors did not wave test and were suspicious, but after the Ultrasound showed that I had what was estimated as an additional 8 pounds of fluid. Joe PSC, UC – 1990; Tx=2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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